Hammer deactivator means

ABSTRACT

A firearm having an external hammer pivotally mounted on the frame in position to strike a firing pin also mounted in the frame is provided with a hammer having means for striking the firing pin combined with means for deactivating the hammer. The combined hammer deactivator and firing pin striker means is pivotally mounted on the hammer in line with the firing pin. The deactivator and striker is rotatable from a hammer deactivated position to a firing pin striking position and return, said deactivator and striker being formed with a deactivator recess that is adapted to receive the rearward end of the firing pin when the deactivator and striker is at its hammer deactivated position and being formed with a firing pin striker surface that is adapted to contact the rearward end of the firing pin and press it forwardly when the deactivator and striker is at its firing pin striking position.

United States Patent I Ruger l HAMMER DEACTIVATOR MEANS [75] Inventor: William B. Rugcr, Southport, Conn.

[73] Assignee: Ruger Sturm & Co., Inc., Southport,

Conn.

221 Filed: Oct. 12,1973

21 Appl. No.: 406,020

Primary Examiner-Benjamin A. Borchelt Assistant Examiner-C. T. Jordan Oct. 1, 1974 [57] ABSTRACT A firearm having an external hammer pivotally mounted on the frame in position to strike a firing pin also mounted in the frame is provided with a hammer having means for striking the firing pin combined with means for deactivating the hammer. The combined hammer deactivator and firing pin striker means is pivotally mounted on the hammer in line with the firing pin. The deactivator and striker is rotatable from a hammer deactivated position to a firing pin striking position and return, said deactivator and striker being formed with a deactivator recess that is adapted to receive the rearward end of the firing pin when the deactivator and striker is at its hammer deactivated position and being formed with a firing pin striker surface that is adapted to contact the rearward end of the firing pin and press it forwardly when the deactivator and striker is at its firing pin striking position.

7 Claims, 8 Drawing Figures 1 HAMMER DEACTIVATOR MEANS BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention This invention relates to firearms having an external hammer.

2. The Prior Art Firearms of the type to which the present invention relates are those which have an external hammer that is pivotally mounted on the frame, the hammer being designed to strike a separate firing pin also mounted on the frame in position to strike a cartridge received in the chamber of the firearm. Such firearms include single and double action revolvers, single shot rifles and shotguns of the break-open type having an external hammer, lever or pump action repeating rifles and shotguns having an external hammer that may be cocked manually or when the action is worked, and similar firearms. All of these firearms share in common an external hammer having a scar notch that is engaged by the sear of the trigger when the hammer is cocked, the hammer springing forward to strike the firing pin when the trigger is pulled and the sear disengaged. Moreover, all of these firearms are provided with some form of safety mechanism which, when activated, is designed to prevent the hammer from striking or bearing against the firing pin, thereby preventing accidental discharge of the firearm when it is being carried or handled. The safety mechanism may comprise a safety notch in the hammer that is engaged by the sear (or some equivalent element) of the trigger when the hammer is in its safe position out of contact with the firing pin, or it may comprise a separate member that can be interposed between the hammer and the frame to prevent the hammer from striking the firing pin, or it may comprise some other known type of mechanism. In addition, the hammer may be of the rebound type which, after striking the firing pin, moves rearwardly a short distance out of contact therewith.

Whatever the type of safety mechanism employed, and no matter how reliable it may be under ordinary circumstances, there is always the danger than the safety mechanism may fail and permit accidental discharge of the firearm if it is abused or misused in some way. After an intensive. investigation of the subject of safety mechanisms for firearms of the above described type, I have devised means for completely deactivating the hammer by rendering it inoperative as far as its intended purpose (that is, striking the firing pin) is concerned. In accordance with the invention'the hammer is provided with a movable member that combines means for striking the firing pin with means for deactivating the hammer. As a result, the hammer, and therefore the the firing mechanism of the firearm, can be deactivated or activated at will simply by moving the said movable member to its hammer deactivated position or to its firing pin striking position, as hereinafter more fully described.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The hammer deactivator of the invention is designed to be employed with a firearm having a frame, an external hammer pivotally mounted on the frame, a cartridge-receiving chamber located in front'of the hammer, and aifiring pin mounted in the frame in position to strike a cartridge received in said chamber, the rearward end of the firing pin extending rearwardly with respect to the frame in position to be struck by said hammer. The combined hammer deactivator and firing pin striker of the invention is pivotally mounted on the hammer in line with the firing pm, said deactivator and striker being rotatable from a hammer deactivated position to a firing pin striking position and return. The deactivator and striker is formed with a deactivator recess that is adapted to receive the rearward end of the firing pin when the deactivator and striker is at its hammer deactivated position and is formed with a firing pin striker surface that is adapted to contact the rearward end of the firing pin and press it forwardly when the deactivator andstriker is at its firing pin striking position. Detent means advantageously releasably detain the pivoted deactivator and striker in it's hammer deactivated position and in its firing pin striking position. respectively. The hammer is advantageously formed with a forwardly projecting nose portion that rests against a rearwardly facing surface of the frame when the hammer is at its rest position, the hammer deactivator and firing pin striker being maintained out of contact with the firing pin by said nose portion when said deactivator and striker is at its hammer deactivator position. Other features of the hammer deactivator of the invention will become evident from the following detailed description thereof.

DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS The hammer deactivator and firing pin striker of the invention will be better understood from the following detailed description thereof in conjunction with the accompanying drawings of which:

FIG. 1 is a fragmentary sectional view of a firearm (specifically, a revolver) showing an advantageous embodiment of the combined hammer deactivator and firing pin striker means at its hammer deactivated position;

FIG. 2 is a fragemntary sectional view similar to FIG. 1 showing the hammer deactivator and firing pin striker means at its firing pin striking position,

FIG. 3 is a sectional view along line 3-3 of FIG. 1,

FIG. 4 is a fragmentary sectional view of a firearm showing another embodiment of the hammer deactivator and firing pin striker means at its hammer deactivated position, I

FIG. 5 is a sectional view along line 55 of FIG. 4,

DESCRIPTION 0 THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT As previously mentioned, firearms of the type to which thepresnt invention relates are those which have an external hammer that is pivotally mounted on the frame, the hammer being designed to strike a separate firing {in also mounted on the frame in position to strike a cartridge received in the chamber of thefireaimisacnaiearms include single and dabble action revolvers, single shot and repeating rifles and shotguns having an external hammer that may be cocked manually or when the action is worked. and similar firearms. In the interests of clarity and brevity the invention will be described in conjunction with a single action revolver. However it will be understood that the invention is applicable to all firearms having an external hammer and a separate firing pin.

The single action revoler embodying the hammer deactivator and firing pin striker means of the invention is shown in the drawings with those parts cut away which are not required for an understanding of the present invention. The revolver, in its principal components, comprises a frame 11, a barrel (not shown), a cylinder 13 pivotally mounted on the frame 11 by means of a cylinder pivot shaft 14, a hammer 15 pivotally mounted on the frame 11 by the pin 16, a trigger (not shown) that releasably engages the hammer l5, and a hand grip 18. The cylinder 13 is formed with a plurality (usually 6) of cartridge receiving chambers each of which is adapted to receive a cartridge 21. A spring loaded firing pin 22 is mounted on the frame 11 in position to strike a cartridge 21 received in the uppermost chamber 20 of the cylinder 13. A hammer spring (not shown) mounted on the hammer strut 24 urges the hammer forwardly to its rest position as shown in FIG. 1.

The spring 25 of the firing pin 22 urges the firing pin rearwardly so that the rearward end thereof normally projects a short distance rearwardly with respect to the adjacent surface of the frame 11, as shown in FIG. 1. The hammer 15 is normally provided with a firing pin striker surface that contacts the rearward end of the firing pin 22 and presses the firing pin forwardly against the cartridge 21 when the revolver is fired. Means may be provided for withdrawing or moving the hammer rearwardly out of direct contact with the firing pin after the revolver is fired and the trigger is released, thereby allowing the firing pin 22 to move rearwardly out of contact with the cartridge 21. In all of the embodiments of the invention shown in the drawings, the hammer 15 is provided a forwardly projecting nose portion 26 that rests against a rearward facing surface 27 of the frame 11 when the hammer 15 is at its rest position. In the embodiment shown in FIGS. 1 to 3 the nose portion 26 of the hammer 15 is formed with a cut out area or recess 28 that is adapted to receive the rearward end of the firing pin 22, and in the embodiments shown in FIGS. 4 through 8 the nose portion 26 of the hammer 15 is formed with a blind bore or recess 29 that also is adapted to receive the rearward end of the firing pin 22. In all embodiments, the hammer is provided with the combined hammer deactivation and firing pin striking means of the invention.

The embodiment of the hammer deactivator and firing pin striking means shown in FIGS. I to 3 comprises a rotatable member 30 that is pivotally mounted on the hammer 15 in line with the firing pin 22. In the embodiment shown in the drawings the hammer 15 is formed with a deactivator and striker receiving slot 3] in which the deactivator and striker member 30 is pivotally mounted by means of the pivot pin 32. The deactivator and striker member 30 is formed with adeactivator recess 33 and with a firing pin striker surface 34. When the deactivator and striker member 30 is rotated to its hammer deactivated position as shown in FIGS. 1 and 3, the rearward end of the firing pin 22 is received in the recess 28 of the hammer 15 and in the deactivator recess 33 of the member 30, thereby preventing contact of the hammer 15 against the firing pin. When the deactivator and striker member 30 is rotated to its firing pin striking position as shown in FIG. 2 the firing pin striker surface 34 thereof contacts the rearward end of the firing pin 22 and presses the firing pin forwardly against the cartridge 21 received in the chamber 20.

The combined hammer deactivator and firing pin striker member 30 is advantageously formed with a knurled surface area 36 to facilitate rotation of the deactivator and striker member 30 to its hammer deactivated position as shown in FIG. 1 and to its firing pin striking position as shown in FIG. 2. The deactivator andstriker member 30 is also advantageously provided with detent means for releasably detaining the rotatable deactivator and striker means in its hammer deactivated position and in its firing pin striking position. In the embodiment shown in the drawings the detent means comprises a detent plunger 38 and spring 39 mounted in the bore 40 formed in the hammer 15. The periphery of the deactivator and striker member 30 is formed with a deactivated position detent notch 41 and with a striking position detent notch 42 in which the end of the detent plunger 38 is received when the deactivator and striker member 30 is at its hammer deactivated position or at its firing pin striking position. respectively.

When the hammer deactivator and firing pin striker means is moved to its hammer deactivated position as shown in FIGS. 1 and 3, the hammer 15 is deactivated or rendered inoperative as far as its intended purpose is concerned. That is to say, the hammer is rendered incapable of contacting the firing pin 22 and thereby causing the firing pin to strike the cartridge 21. When the deactivator and striker means is moved to its firing pin striking position as shown in FIG. 2, the hammer 15 is activated or rendered operative for its intended function in the firearm. When in this position the firing pin striker surface 34 strikes the rearward end of the firing pin 22 when the firearm is fired. It is necessary. therfore, that the deactivator and striker means be mounted on the hammer 15 in position to accomplish this result, and it is advantageously mounted on the hammer with the pivot pin 32 in approximate horizontal alignment with the firing pin 22.

In the embodiment shown in FIGS. 4 to 6 the hammer deactivator and firing pin striking means comprises a rotatable member 44 that is pivotally mounted in the deactivator and striker receiving slot 45 of the hammer 15 by means of the pivot pin 46 in line with the firing pin 22. The deactivator and striker member 44 is formed with a deactivator recess 47 and with a firing pin striker surface 48. When the deactivator and striker member 44 is rotated to its hammer deactivator position as shown in FIGS. 4 and 5, the rearward end of the firing pin 22 is received in the recess 29 of the hammer and in the deactivator recess 47 of the member 44, thereby preventing contact of the hammer 15 against the firing pin. When the deactivator and striker member 44 is rotated to its firing pin striking position as shown in FIG. 6 the firing pin striker surface 48 thereof contacts the rearward end of the firing pin 22 and presses the firing pin forwardly against the cartridge 21 received in the chamber 20.

The combined hammer deactivator and firing pin striker member 44 is formed with a knurled surface area 50 t0 facilitate rotation of the deactivator and striker member 44 to its hammer deactivated position as shown in FIG. 4 and to its firing pin striking position as shown in FIG. 6. A detent plunger 52 and spring 53 are mounted in the bore 54 formed in the hammer 15. The periphery of the deactivator and striker member 44 is formed with a deactivated position detent notch 55 and with a striking position detent notch 56 in which the end of the detent plunger 52 is releasably received with the deactivator and striker member 44 is at its hammer deactivated position or at its firing pin striking position, respectively.

An advantageous feature of the deactivator and striker member 44 is the flat hammer contacting surface 58 of the member 44 that rests against a forward facing striker stop surface 59 of the hammer when the deactivator and striker member 44 is at its firing pin striking position as shown in FIG. 6. When the hammer contacting surface 58 of the deactivator and striker member 44 rests against the stop surface 59 of the hammer 15, the striker stop surface 59 prevents further rearward movement 'of the upper portion of the member 44. This insures that the firing pin striker surface 48 is in position to strike the rearward end of the firing pin 22. In addition, when the firing pin striking surface 48 strikes the rearward end of the firing pin 22, much of the impact is transmitted by the member 44 to the striker stop surface 59, thereby greatly reducing the stress on the pivot pin 46 to which the pivot pin would otherwise be subjected.

In the embodiment shown in FIGS. 7 and 8 the hammer deactivator and firing pin striking means comprises a rotatable member 61 that is pivotally mounted in the deactivator and striker receiving slot 62 of the hammer 15 by means of the pivot pin 63 in line with the firing pin 22. The deactivator and striker member 61 is formed with a deactivator recess 64 and with a firing pin striker surface 65. When the deactivator and striker member 61 is rotated to its hammer deactivated position as shown in FIG. 7, the rearward end of the firing pin 22 is received in the recess 29 of the hammer and in the deactivator recess 64 of the member 61, thereby preventing contact of the hammer 15 against the firing pin. When the deactivator and striker member 61 is rotated to its firing pin striking position as shown in FIG. 8, the firing pin striker surface 65 thereof contacts the rearward end of the firing pin 22 and presses the firing pin forwardly against the cartridge 21 received in the chamber 20.

The deactivator and striker member 61 is provided with an upper projection 67 and with a lower projection 68 that facilitates rotation of the member 61 from its hammer deactivated position to its firing pin striking position and return. When the deactivator and striker member 61 is at its hammer deactivated position as shown in FIG. 7, the upper projection 67 projects prominently above the adjacent upper surface of the hammer 15 in position to be readily depressed by the normal hammer cocking motion of the shooters thumb. When the deactivator and striker member 61 is at its firing pin striking position as shown in FIG. 8, the upper projection 67 is almost completely received in the slot 62 of the hammer l5, and the lower projection 68 extends downwardly in position to be pressed upwardly whenever the shooter desires to deactivate the hammer. I

A detent plunger 70 and spring 71 are mounted in the bore 72 formed in the hammer 15. The periphery of the deactivator and striker member 61 is formed with a deactivated position detent notch 73 and with a striking position detent notch 74 in which the end of the detent plunger 70 is releasably received when the deactivator and striker member 61 is at its hammer deactivated position (FIG. 7 or at its firing pin striking position (FIG. 8), respectively. H

As in the preceding embodiment, the deactivator and striker member 61 is provided with a flat hammer contacting surface 76, and the hammer 15 is provided with a forward facing striker stop surface 77. When the deactivator and striker member 44 is at its firing pin striking position as shown in FIG. 8, the hammer contacting surface 76 of the member 61 rests against the striker stop surface 77 of the hammer 15, the striker stop surface 77 preventing further rearward movement of the upper portion of the deactivator and striker member 61. This insures that the firing pin striker surface 65 is in position to strike the rearward end of the firing pin 22. In addition, when the firing pin striking surface 65 strikes the rearward end of the firing pin 22, much of the impact of the blow is transmitted by the member 61 to the striker stop surface 77, thereby greatly reducing the stress on the pivot pin 64 to which the pivot pin would otherwise be subjected.

I claim:

1. Ina firearm having a frame, an external hammer pivotally mounted on the frame, a cartridge-receiving chamber located in front of the hammer, and a firing pin mounted in the frame in position to strike a cartridge received in said chamber, the rearward end of the firing pin extending rearwardly with respect to the frame in position to be struck by said hammer, the improvement comprising a combined hammer deactivator and firing pin striker pivotally mounted on the hammer in line with the firing pin, said deactivator and striker being movable from a hammer deactivated position to a firing pin striking position and return, said deactivator and striker being formed with a deactivator recess that is adapted to receive the rearward end of the firing pin when the deactivator and striker is at its hammer deactivated position and being formed with a firing pin striker surface that is adapted to contact the rearward end of the firing pin and press it forwardly when the deactivator and striker is at its firing pin striking position, and

detent means releasably detaining the pivoted deactivator and striker in its hammer deactivated position and in its firing pin striking position.

2. The firearm according to claim 1 in which the hammer is formed with a forwardly projecting nose portion that rests against a rearward facing surface of the frame when the hammer is at its rest position, thereby maintaining the deactivator out of contact with the firing pin when the hammer deactivator and firing pin striker is at its hammer deactivated position.

3. The firearm according to claim 1 in which the hammer is formed with a slot in which the pivoted hammer deactivator and firing pin striker is received.

4. The firearm according to claim 1 in which the detent means comprises a detent plunger and spring mounted in a bore formed in the hammer, and a deactivated position dctent notch and a firing position detent notch formed in the periphery of the pivoted deactivator and striker.

5. The firearm according to claim 1 in which the firearm is a revolver having a cylinder rotatably mounted on the frame in front of the hammer.

6. The firearm according to claim 1 in which the pivoted hammer deactivator and firing pin striker is formed with a hammer contacting surface that rests against a forward facing striker stop surface formed in the hammer when the pivoted deactivator and striker is at its firing pin striking position.

7. The firearm according to claim 1 in which the piv- Po-1050 UNlTED- s'lA'lES OFFICE A .i- I CERTIFICATE Patent No 53 838 ,533 d d eOctobfl 1974 Inventor s) v WILLlAM d a I I It is certified that error appears in the above-identified patent and that said Letters Pa-tentare hereby corrected as shown below:

Title page, item 73 "Ruge'r Sturm 6 Co. Inc. should read "Sturm, 'Ruger jfi Co. "Inc. H

Column 1, line 43, "than" should read that Column 1, line 56, "the the" should read" the ColumnZ line 3-9, "frag-emntar j should read Y- fragmentary Column Sk line 9, "irevoler" should read revolver-- Column 5, line 12 change "with" to when Column 6-, .line 10,.after "7" i Signed and sealed this 7th day of Januaryl975.

(SEAL).

Attest:

Mc'COYM. GIBSON JR. c. v MARSHALL DANN Attesting Officer Y v Commissioner of Patents v! 1 l. t I I 7 0 UNITED STATES min m OFFICE CERTIFICATE OF @GQRRECTION Patent No."3,838,533 we; October 1, 1974 Inventor(s) I B- RUGER It is certified that error appears in the above-identified patent and that said Letters Patent are hereby corrected as shown below:

Title page, item 73, "Rug e'i Sturm & Co. Inc." should i read 'Sturm, Ruger .6 Co. 'Inc. 1,

Column 1, line 43, "than" should read that Column 1, line 56, "the the" should read.- the Column '2 line 3-9, "frag-emntary" should read fragmentary Column 3, line 9, "ievoler" should read revolver Column 5, line 12 change "with" to when 1 Column 6', line 10, after "7" insert Signed and sealed this 7th day of January 1975.

(SEAL) Attest:

McCOY M. GIBSON JR. c. v MARSHALL DANN Attesting Officer Commissioner of Patents L I v J 

1. In a firearm having a frame, an external hammer pivotally mounted on the frame, a cartridge-receiving chamber located in front of the hammer, and a firing pin mounted in the frame in position to strike a cartridge received in said chamber, the rearward end of the firing pin extending rearwardly with respect to the frame in position to be struck by said hammer, the improvement comprising a combined hammer deactivator and firiNg pin striker pivotally mounted on the hammer in line with the firing pin, said deactivator and striker being movable from a hammer deactivated position to a firing pin striking position and return, said deactivator and striker being formed with a deactivator recess that is adapted to receive the rearward end of the firing pin when the deactivator and striker is at its hammer deactivated position and being formed with a firing pin striker surface that is adapted to contact the rearward end of the firing pin and press it forwardly when the deactivator and striker is at its firing pin striking position, and detent means releasably detaining the pivoted deactivator and striker in its hammer deactivated position and in its firing pin striking position.
 2. The firearm according to claim 1 in which the hammer is formed with a forwardly projecting nose portion that rests against a rearward facing surface of the frame when the hammer is at its rest position, thereby maintaining the deactivator out of contact with the firing pin when the hammer deactivator and firing pin striker is at its hammer deactivated position.
 3. The firearm according to claim 1 in which the hammer is formed with a slot in which the pivoted hammer deactivator and firing pin striker is received.
 4. The firearm according to claim 1 in which the detent means comprises a detent plunger and spring mounted in a bore formed in the hammer, and a deactivated position detent notch and a firing position detent notch formed in the periphery of the pivoted deactivator and striker.
 5. The firearm according to claim 1 in which the firearm is a revolver having a cylinder rotatably mounted on the frame in front of the hammer.
 6. The firearm according to claim 1 in which the pivoted hammer deactivator and firing pin striker is formed with a hammer contacting surface that rests against a forward facing striker stop surface formed in the hammer when the pivoted deactivator and striker is at its firing pin striking position.
 7. The firearm according to claim 1 in which the pivoted hammer deactivator and firing pin striker means is provided with an upper projection and with a lower projection, in which said upper projection projects above the adjacent upper surface of the hammer in position to be depressed by the normal hammer cocking motion of the shooter''s thumb when said deactivator and striker means is at its hammer deactivated position, and in which said lower projection extends downwardly in position to be pressed upwardly by the shooter when said deactivator and striker means is at its firing pin striking position. 